


Orange Sky

by just_peachy



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Alcohol, Character Study, Gen, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-08
Updated: 2011-02-08
Packaged: 2017-10-15 12:06:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/160672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_peachy/pseuds/just_peachy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With news that Jason Todd is leaving Gotham City, he invites Dick Grayson for a round of alcohol. Dick reluctantly goes. Just don't ask him why he said yes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Orange Sky

**Author's Note:**

> Well I had a dream  
> I... stood beneath an orange sky  
> Yes I had a dream  
> I... stood beneath an orange sky  
> With my brother standing by

“Is there any reason why your face looks like a fish?”

This was a bad idea.

“No seriously, you look like Dory. Or that other fish in the movie. What’s his name…?”

I don’t look like Marlin.

“You look like Marlin.”

“You put something in this—”

“—No I didn’t. You’re just a lightweight. Heh, I’d figure as much. You’re such a princess, Grayson.”

Figures this would happen.

“It just tastes bad.”

“It tastes bad. That means you need more.”

I don’t know why I drink more. But it’s already here. Might as well. Hmmm, I have to be careful not to slur my words. The Bartender keeps washing the glasses with the same dirty rag. He keeps looking at us. Must be Jason and his stupid hand movements. Wait… there is a known Mob Boss in the back with his daughter… And I think that’s all that’s in here tonight. I’ll write this in the logs later. But not this conversation with him. I doubt anyone would be happy about me being here. He’s leaving to go abroad apparently…

“I don’t know what you’re trying to prove to me Jason.”

“I’m trying to prove that my shit doesn’t stink. Unlike you and the rest of the Scooby crew. Oh hey,” He ushers the bartender to come closer. “Can I light up in here?”

The bartender shrugs with approval while my eyes narrow. All I can do now is just rub my eyes and hopefully he doesn’t—

“Don’t do that.”

He has this weird laugh. It doesn’t feel genuine at all. It just feels like it’s not whole. I can’t explain it.

“If you blow that crap in my face again—”

“God, you are such a kill joy. And if you try to say that this shit will kill me you’re a fool. This stuff won’t kill us. The job will. Plus I already died. So you know, I’m beating the game.”

He smirks while watching the smoke hang around him. I feel this weird pang in my stomach.

“The job? You don’t even know what that means anymore.”

“Protect the innocent.” He waves his hands like a conductor. “Lemme ask you this: If I know that say… I don’t know.” He bites the inside of his cheek and looks up before finishing his thoughts, “Let’s say someday, this kid is going to become a serial killer. But you and the rest of the tights and flights brigade saves him one day.” He pauses and smiles, “You do know that’s your fault. All those poor mothers crying over their sons. Yet right now, the Joker still kills and will always kill.”

I sip more of my beer, “You’re speaking hypothetically. It doesn’t mean anything. It hasn’t happened yet.”

“Yes it does, because it’s happening right now. Look, I’m just saying that this entire thing is futile. It’s never going to end. Even if another dumbass crisis comes, it’s never going to stop. The new set of weird human-things will evolve and fuck it all up.”

I wished that my cowl was still on. That way he can’t look at my face. Plus, my patience and this beer are drying up quickly.

“You cannot talk philosophies with me. If you _honestly_ believe that killing some pedophile or a child abuser is okay, then go do your thing somewhere where that’s socially acceptable. We can’t do that here. Once we cross that line, it’s over. I refuse to play God....”

“Why the hell would I do that? _Never_ again. Besides, think of how much you’d miss fighting me. I mean you guys missed me lots when I died.”

I feel my head hit the table with a small thud. Talking to the table would be easier than this.

“I screwed up royally according to you people. The _flawless_ human beings of this planet. And for that, I get the fanciest memorial that no one gets to see except you idiots when you needed the motivation.”

“Jason, I don’t want to talk about this.”

“Well I do. Plus there’s the creeper replacement. I mean seriously, I didn’t go on my knees and beg to be Robin. _We_ got picked! Poor Timmers has to be a creep. And now it doesn’t mean shit because everyone has a facebook. So it’s like some subliminal encouragement for everyone to be creepy. Tim was ahead of his time, heh.”

I look at him and hope that my face can produce the most incredulous frown of all time. And he pats my back and laughs before burping lightly. He thinks he’s got it all figured out.

“That’s not it at all.”

“Then explain it to me, because so far, I’m winning. You can’t hold your alcohol. You don’t smoke because those ads on TV told you you’d die. And that’s not true because everyone dies eventually. Smoker or not. And quite frankly, you suck as Batman.”

“At least I’m trying.”

“Yeah, and you suck at that too.”

And the patience is gone.

“Do you want me to apologize to you? Will that make you stop being such an insufferable asshole?”

Wow, he actually listened. I think?

“No Dick, I don’t want you to apologize.” He drinks the rest of his beer, “And to show you how much I don’t want anything from you, I’m gonna bounce.”

His legs find the floor as he smashes the butt of the cigarette on the dirty floor. But not before pausing slowly to look at me. I tried to avoid looking at him the entire time. I finally do look. And it hurts.

“One last thing,” I hear myself say. My teeth grind down. “I am _truly_ and _deeply_ sorry. I am _so_ sorry that for what happened to you. I won’t excuse the way I treated you before. It happened and I’m sorry. I know that you aren’t going to look back when you leave here. But… we are brothers. And as much as you might hate that, it’s true. You probably don’t even know what that means. But—

God, this is really hard.

“—But it means that no matter how long it takes, I am still going to be here.”

I can’t read his face and I feel that prickly feeling behind my eyes. I blink it back and watch him walking towards the door.

“When you _do_ decide to look back Jason, I’m going to be here.”

He stops but doesn’t look at me.

“That’s gonna take a while…”

I was right; He didn’t turn around at all. 


End file.
